Bullying Grandma on the Bus

Karen Huff Klein teaches us a valuable lesson for The Three Weeks.

Karen Huff Klein, 68, a school bus monitor, endures profanity and nasty insults from a group of seventh graders. You can watch it all online – the slurs have been viewed more than a million times. Caught on camera, one of the kids posted the vicious teasing on Facebook.

Students called Klein an elephant, said they would egg her house, and shouted unprintable slurs. They caused deep pain when one boy said, “You’re so ugly your kid should kill themselves.”

Klein’s son committed suicide ten years ago.

Bullying hurts.

Allow me to share with you a personal memory. Growing up, I attended an all-girl’s yeshiva elementary school. There were not many private school children to service at that time so the district combined two other community schools onto one route. This meant that I shared the long bus ride home with middle school kids who attended the neighborhood coed schools.

For some reason, two boys on the bus spent their days taunting me. I remember sitting silently, sometimes holding back my tears, as they would mock my more religious school, my mode of dress, and especially the fact that I was a daughter of a rabbi and rebbetzen. They would use shocking curse words, throw lollypops in my hair, and laugh at me all the way home. As we would pass my father’s synagogue, they would up their nasty comments. The bus driver remained silent. I remember staring out the window, pretending not to hear them.

No one called it bullying then. But we all knew that it was mean and wrong.

I swallowed the insults, the mockery and the disgusting sticky lollipops tangled in my hair.

Why didn’t I say anything? The family of one of these boys was members of my parents’ synagogue. Though I was just a child of ten I realized the awful predicament I would be putting my parents in. I didn’t want to ask them to confront a member of their flock, forcing them to acknowledge their son’s gross misbehavior. I knew the daily difficulties my parents faced as they grappled with building up the synagogue and maintaining relationships with the member families.

Perhaps I should’ve discussed the bullying, but I did not. Instead I swallowed the insults, the mockery and the disgusting sticky lollipops tangled in my hair. And I made it through those years feeling confident in my parents’ love for me; incredibly proud of the mission they lived and the legacy they bequeathed. Those boys’ ugly behavior reeked of weakness to me. I made a promise never to be like them. Ever.

Though my story was painful, Karen Huff Klein’s story takes hurt to a whole new level. To humiliate a person in private is despicable but to post your nasty behavior publicly online declares that you have no shame. Once a child has no shame there is no telling how low he will fall. Lines have been crossed, awful words have been spoken, hearts have been broken and yet we have the audacity to post all this on You Tube? What does this say about our generation? Are we clueless to the pain we have caused?

There is of course no way for anyone to condone this behavior. Watching the children taunt Ms. Klein opens our eyes to humiliating scenes that once would have remained like garbage, left strewn on the bus. Of course we are outraged. But my question to you is this: In an age where bullying has been widely discussed, school programs implemented, front page news stories written, what makes this story stand out?

The behavior of these children must bring us to focus on the lack of respect between young children and the older generation. We have failed to raise our children to revere those who have come before them. The nasty retorts and smug attitude have become a normal mode of communication. And it is not a far leap to jump from outright disregard to vicious remarks and verbal abuse.

Now it is not only children bullying children, but there are too many kids bullying those who they are expected to respect – parents, grandparents, teachers, and bus drivers just to name a few.

We have failed to raise our children to revere those who have come before them.

Without thinking, kids make fun of their parents and grandparents. They ignore them when they walk into a room and push them away with biting and sarcastic comments.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“What’s your problem?”

“Who said you could touch my stuff?”

“Shut up already! Leave me alone! Who asked you?”

Teachers have spoken to me about being ignored, talked over, challenged, defiant backtalk and unheard of levels of disrespect.

Yes, it is wonderful that a fund has been established to send Karen Huff Klein on vacation. But that does not absolve us from the responsibility of teaching our children two great fundamentals of life:

Your words have the power to build -- and destroy. And when you post these words online or forward nasty text messages, you will cause a tsunami of pain.

Secondly, cherish and respect the generation above you. They have lived long years, overcome great obstacles, discovered wisdom, and created a path for you.

Baseless Hatred

We are now entering one of the saddest periods in the Jewish calendar. The Three Weeks culminate in the sorrowful day of Tisha B’Av, the day our holy temple was destroyed. We are asked to take time for introspection. We are compelled to ask ourselves ‘why’? Why was our Temple burned, our people sent into bitter exile, and our nation left to mourn until today?

The answer is chilling. We have suffered because of sinat chinam, hatred between brothers for no cause, no reason. We perpetuate the hatred through an unkind word, a nasty dig, malicious gossip, an insensitive comment, even rolling our eyes at someone-all little moments that seem like a blip in the big picture we call life. “What’s the big deal?” we ask. “It’s just a word, it’s only a gesture. Stop being so sensitive!”

But these are the sparks that grew into a flame of hatred between brothers. This is the fire that burned our temple and caused us to wander from land to land. The embers are still burning today. We are consumed by hatred and destroy each other through words.

Each of us has the power to build and create a world filled with love.

We are still battling this war between brothers. Let us resolve to stop the hatred once and for all. Parents are responsible to teach their children to understand the power of their words. Nasty retorts and bullying must not be acceptable. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, children and parents, friends and coworkers, even strangers who encounter each other in the street-we all need to take a moment and realize how much pain our little comments have caused. We tear each other apart.

Enough! Each of us has the power to build and create a world filled with love. We must realize that it is not the grand gestures but rather a single word, a sweet smile, a positive remark that will help rebuild our temple and bring our people home.

One day we will look back at this time. How painful it is to live with regrets for hurts we have caused and people we have wounded.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Slovie Jungreis-Wolff is a freelance writer, and a relationships and parenting instructor. She is the daughter of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, founder of Hineni International. Slovie has taught Hineni Young Couples and Parenting classes for more than 15 years. Her book, Raising A Child With Soul, is published by St. Martin's Press.

Visitor Comments: 52

(44)
LV Steveo1,
July 15, 2012 9:16 PM

Bullying - Age-Old Probnlem

Sometimes a non-violent respond to bullying doesn't solve issue. In my 2nd year of hs, I was subjected to such behavior (including physical contact from behind) while walking to bus stop. After this bs continued 4 a few months, one day I just threw my books on ground,grabbed my tormentor by the neck (he was taller), dragged him down & pinned him with my knees on his arms. This was a few blocks fr the hs so incident was never 'reported'. Even though I was egged-on to beat him up by by-standing students, I just gave him a few potches up side the head. Needless to say, I never again was bothered by this 'p--z.

(43)
TMay,
July 15, 2012 7:40 PM

Justice

I heard we lost the temple because we didn’t listen to the rabbis who said to not pick a fight where there was no reason to do so, which was arrogance. Then there was the group who destroyed the food and water supplies to make Jewish warriors fight harder, which was arrogance.
Well, where there is a rude child there is a rude parent or older sibling is my guess. I have known parents who believed in Darwin's law and figured that if their kid was doing the bullying, then it meant the kid was not being bullied and was a survivor. In a secular materialistic view of human life, a child only needs food to grow. Look at the case of that pretty little 13 year old who cut off the long locks of a stranger 3 year old girl. In court, the judge asked the mother of the juvenile perp if she wanted to reduce her child's community service by half, by cutting her daughter's hair. She did. Now the same mother is complaining to the press and lodging complaints against the judge. Like mother, like child. As a radio show host once said "Either the child will be afraid of authority figures, parents and teachers, or the parents and teachers will be afraid of the child." Middle School kids act like this. Bullies bully victims, and then the victims can become bullies to others, or they learn compassion. We see entire cultures along these lines, both bullying cultures and victim cultures. There is a line in between the two which is justice, not social justice, justice, standing up for justice.
I know Leftists will say that the USA is a bully. I am not saying that. They would also not use the word “justice”, they would use the words “social justice”.

(42)
Anonymous,
July 12, 2012 4:32 PM

Tough Battle

Its horrible how disrespectful kids are these days. So many people have to deal with kids that are angry and bitter. Why? It's because our society and values have been going down the drain. Our Jewish girls hate their curly hair and color it blond. Pretty is NOT looking Jewish these days. Why? I was teased as a child for having a big nose and curly hair. I survived and grew up into a functional adult. I have a teen who never takes the bus because I drive her. Right or wrong? The school bus can be a mean war zone with scars that do not heal. Many kids have no respect or fear for authority and their elders. They need their parents only for lunch money and shopping and forget to visit their grandparents. It's become the norm to talk back with an attitude! In my area alone 3 teens commuted suicide before starting college! It is everyone's problem to deal with bullies - both kid bullies and adult bullies!

(41)
Anonymous,
July 12, 2012 8:27 AM

media today

It is not only shows like GLEE today. This has been a running theme in many "family" shows since my kids were small (my youngest is 19). Have you seen any of the "kid" show on the Disney channel? Even commercials show kids advising their parents which commodity to buy. Since when do they know better than their elders? I didn't let my children watch those shows then (and they knew why) and I don't let my grandchildren today. As a society we should disapprove of our children being exposed to this type of behaviour -shut the program, change the station during commercials and explain why!

(40)
Myriam Obadia,
July 11, 2012 4:26 PM

memories of bullying

Bullied, I was yet, since I fought back, I don't fault the bullies as much as the supervising adults who either didn't want to see, or condoned silently the nasty behavior. I was ridiculed, taunted, shoved, ostracized. I didn't submit, I spoke up, but the adults didn't care. I fought. I sent bullies back home with more bruises than I got...and I was the one punished because the behavior was "unbecoming for a girl". Don't think that, because no one managed to intimidate me into silence and submission, There aren't sequels. I'm a loner, a misfit, I trust no one, and I don't know how to let down the arms and fit into society. I didn't know how to give my trust, so my marriage failed. I didn't know how to give social skills to the 4 children I raised, so they too struggle to fit in, they too fight back and get punished by the cowardly "authorities.

(39)
Ruti,
July 11, 2012 3:58 PM

Parents need to teach small children this is wrong

I was lucky never to have to endure bullying for an extended period, not to say I never went through it growing up. However, while in Israel, I witnessed a child of some friends endure horrible, ongoing bullying at a Haredi school for several years until the parents finally removed the child for homeschooling. The child's family is a good, functional family, but the child was already voicing suicidal ideation in First Grade because the bullying in school was so severe. The child's siblings did not experience this sort of depression - it was clearly caused by the situation at school. Children need to be taught at a very young age that Baseless Hatred goes against the Torah and led to the destruction of the Temple so that this behavior can be curbed. It is a horrible tragedy that it occurs so much in our community. We should be shining examples to others of how to raise bully-free children.

(38)
Anonymous,
July 11, 2012 3:41 AM

Can't believe it's still happening

I have had the experience of being bullied (I was a new student in the middle of the semester). I was being challenged to a physical fight. I didn't want to fight and told one of my teachers (this was JHS). The teacher, to her credit, announced to the entire class that this would stop. I was not embarrassed that the class obviously knew who complained. I just wanted to be left alone. It never left me.

(37)
Richard Marcus,
July 10, 2012 11:46 PM

never mind...

all those fancy 'social studies" that look the other way when kids get out of order are plainly outrageous. These kids need to stopped by a school principal or monitor, or told to leave the school until they can behave in a civilized manner. Hooligans to the contrary notwithstanding, these kids need to be severely disciplined so that it sticks for the rest of their immature lives. Cheap little bullies!

(36)
Henry A. Wiltschek,
July 10, 2012 7:03 PM

Disgusting Behavior by young people

Dov Neidish is right in this political correct age. Mrs.Huff Klein would have lost her job, if she would have spoken out.
Shows like GLEE are bringing down our society and how young people have NO respect for their parents and elders. - No wonder the ever increasing lawlessnes & violence. Where will it end ?.

(35)
Jeff,
July 10, 2012 4:38 PM

Love thy Neighbor

Fabulous talk but whats the conclusion of the matter? Love Thy Neighbor! Or if you spiritual Obey God and keep his commandments! A method King Solomon would have approved.

(34)
Dov Neidish,
July 10, 2012 12:14 PM

Reply to (32) Jerry

(32) Jerry asks why didn't the bus matron respond?
These days, parents of children like this are more likely to find fault in the schools (read...lawsuit) than to discipline their children appropriately. The bus matron needs her job. As a school employee, I can tell you that had Mrs. Huff Klein chastised these hooligans, the school district would be first in line to "throw her under the bus" had the parents filed a complaint.

(33)
Anonymous,
July 10, 2012 10:26 AM

Tv doesn't help

The popular show Glee shows kids talking back to adults and its more then disgusting. This type of show is considered cool and its a shame because since they get away with it it brings down the level of respect all children have for their teachers and supervisors.

(32)
Jerry,
July 10, 2012 2:01 AM

Why didn't she respond!

When I first read the story on the Internet, my immediate reaction was, "Why did she let them get away with this? "She was the bus monitor, yet she seemed to accept the bullying without fighting back. True, she was outnumbered, but why didn't she tell these kids off and put them in their place.

(31)
penina dror,
July 9, 2012 11:24 PM

kids are meannnnnn

I was teased horribly as a child for four years. From the age of 8 to 12.they did not call it bullying then,but I remember very well the names and the tears . obviously,baseless hatred......the parents are one hundred% at fault .then and now.

(30)
Bambi Levine,
July 9, 2012 10:03 PM

Keeping quiet is not the answer.

Bullying should never be ignored. Not by the victims. Not by others present at the time, particularly other adults.And certainly not by the schools or school districts. Sadly too many young people are not taught how to behave (or indirectly taught how not to behave by badly behaving adults) nor do there seem to be any real consequences for bullying. Many schools across the nation however, are now implementing PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) programs in their schools and are actively teaching the expected behaviors as well as implementing anti bullying initiatives. The school community as well the families who are part of that community have to work together to get the message out that this type of behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated by the community.

(29)
Liora,
July 9, 2012 8:30 PM

A very powerful article. Thank you!

(28)
Aliza Miriam,
July 9, 2012 7:26 PM

powerful and poignant...nice article Slovie~

Every school in the country- public and private- would benefit to read and discuss this article on the first day of school every fall! Required reading!
Forever...
until Mashiach Tzidkeinu!

(27)
Aileen Goldstein,
July 9, 2012 4:46 PM

Slovie!!I think you & I rode the same bus!! I encountered the same thing once as a teenager. It was disgusting & to this day, I have not forgotten it. However, there is good that came out of it---those perpetrators got their come-uppance & I learned not to ignore bad behaviour--in my personal life & in the workplace.
I am saddened to hear that grandmother had to deal w/bad behaviour like that! It saddens me even more, that in a world that is hard enough to deal we should look out for our fellow brothers & sisters! Not hurt them!

(26)
Zamira Rajchgod,
July 9, 2012 11:22 AM

Any consequence

Were there consequence to any of the boys doing the bullying? And in Mrs Wolff's story, why didn't the bus monitor do anything when the young girl was being bullyed by the youngsters on her bus?

Danielle,
July 9, 2012 5:42 PM

I was on the same bus

I rode to and from school on the same bus as Mrs. Wolff. Events happened exactly as she stated in her story, and the reason the bus monitor didn't do anything is because there was NO bus monitor.

(25)
Shashi Ishai,
July 9, 2012 7:27 AM

Bullying

It seems to be a Jewish minhag that when someone else does something abominably wrong, somehow, the Jews have collectively been responsible for this crime. Knock off the guilt. We are responsible for nothing, but the school authorities should have kicked these morons out, and the bus driver should go to Legal aid to find out if there is any legal course to be taken to be compinsated for emotional harrassment. Let their parents be responsible and pay the price for their childrens' sins. Who knows, maybe the parents fear the kids themselves and don't have a clue what to do??? Enforced military school...

Bob,
July 9, 2012 11:30 PM

Bullying

You are right, it is not anyones fault that these little monsters are the by products of our World today. Each parent who allows these things in their homes or in the schools need to take a look in the closest mirror. There they will see the reasons these things are happening. Giving everything to a kid except the one thing they long for the most (Love), is one of the reasons these kids have no respect for their elders. The other is SIN in the World. Everyone seems to be all for themselves and forget about the "Golden Rule".

(24)
Bobby5000,
July 9, 2012 3:01 AM

Wrong, Wrong

Ms. Wolf wrote, "two boys on the bus spent their days taunting me. I remember sitting silently, sometimes holding back my tears, as they would mock my more religious school, my mode of dress, and especially the fact that I was a daughter of a rabbi and rebbetzen. "
Your failure to respond was wrong. Never again, was a central lesson in the Holocaust. Jews thought by cooperating they would lessen the abuse, but instead the lack of retailiation increased the violence till it morphed into murder. IGNORING PROBLEMS NEVER HELPS, NEVER WORKS, NEVER ACCOMPLISHES ANYTHING I know a boy who was small in high school, just 5 foot, and he was picked on at first. Soon tormentors learned he would fight, and fight, and fight, even if he lost. Bullies quickly learned to pick on someone else, and the boy became a high decorated military hero, and offered a high position in the Israeili military.
Coming to this grandmother, while her torment was said, she was wrong. She should have reported these children. By ignoring their wrongful acts, she embodened them, and it was only another student who stopped this. Without the video, they probably would have gone on to bully another student. When Moses saw injustice, he didn't say this isn't my problem.

(23)
Anonymous,
July 9, 2012 2:02 AM

Don't do to others that you wouldn't want to be done to you.

Love the neighbor as thy self....

(22)
Lisa,
July 9, 2012 1:47 AM

Hello mother... Hello father....

Where are theses kids parents? Bullying should be labeled as a real crime ...And punished as such. And since it's happening on a school bus, where is the principal?

(21)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 11:07 PM

I also was under the impression that the boy who put this despicable act on you tube did it to let everyone what they did so they would be accountable

(20)
busdriver,
July 8, 2012 10:08 PM

School Bus Drivers are UNDER PAID for what they have responsibility for and requirements they have to meet. The unions aren't much help either.

(19)
elli,
July 8, 2012 9:48 PM

it was heartening to hear that the comments condemming the bullies' behaviour went viral and there was such support for Mrs Klein that more than 100,000 was raised. Mrs Klein was so generous and forgiving as to ask people to stop sending messages to the bullies.

(18)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 9:32 PM

Why celebrate a bad job.

What is a monitor supposed to do? Monitor the bus, perhaps. She wasn't doing her job. If she can't control the kids she should have reported the issues and asked for help, or else she wasn't capable of doing the monitoring. Yes, these students were bad and should be disciplined, but she doesn't merit all the accolades for a poorly done job.

(17)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 9:30 PM

human form but sub human bearing

many have the grace of human form but are still less than human. Dont be fooled. We are here to help that process. Sometimes it weighs in on their side and we have holocausts. The good must be eternally awake/aware to evil .Ex. - the viscious face of islam-Thus Transmigration explains the hwerefore of roaches,rats and disease that befall this world. However,That's what the physical plane is for -Learning and paying.

(16)
Beth,
July 8, 2012 9:28 PM

The Bullying Grandma Video

I am glad the video was posted, its a good thing because now not only North America but the entire world can know what the modern day American kids are like and with such kids what the future of America is going to be.
I'm Indian and a mother of two boys who I brought up very strictly but back then we lived and worked in the Middle East and sometimes I've had to stretch a bit to the point of a smack on the touchis and grounding them from TV & play. Here in North America they would call it child abuse. Today I proudly look at my kids as two young respectful gentlemen. I thank God I came to North America only at the end of their high school otherwise I'm sure the so-called "child protection agency" might had taken them away just for that smack on their bottoms and maybe my kids might have turned out to be just like the kids in the video and like many nasty kids I see on the streets today. Good kids can get badly influenced by the bad ones. Bottom line I don't like the gov laws on child rearing for its the parents discretion how to bring them up unless of course parents use brute force that would hurt the kids not only physically but mentally and emotionally.

(15)
Lawrence Zupan,
July 8, 2012 8:55 PM

Reason for loss of Temple

There is nonscriptural support for the notion that we lost the Temple because of fraternal misdeeds.
Rather it is abundantly shouted that we lost the Temple and much else because we spurned YHWH in words and deeds and were disobedient as a people. This is the reason for the 40 years on the wilderness, Babylonian and Assyrian captivity as well. Read it and weep.

(14)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 7:21 PM

Do these children have any remorse for their HEINOUS actions? I wonder.

(13)
Eric-Odessit,
July 8, 2012 7:03 PM

Bullys understand force

From my personal experience: there is only one effective way to stop bullying. A person who is bullied has to fight back, and I don't mean with words. If a bully happens to be stronger, then a bullied kid might get beaten up, but he/she will still mange to inflict some pain on the bully in the process. It is too bad that the bully will then move on to some other target who does not fight back.
As for the situation in the beginning of the article, unfortunately Ms. Klein is an adult, and, thus, if she fights back, she will end up being guilty. I truly don't know what to do in her situation.
Eric.

(12)
Lea,
July 8, 2012 7:00 PM

Society

We have removed G-d from our society. This is the result. if there is no standard to live by, it's every man for himself. I once met a young woman in a restaurant who was lamenting that she was not raised with any standard of values. She said she was truly lost in the world. A true statement.

7littlebeauties,
July 19, 2012 4:23 PM

Like!

You hit the nail on the head with your brief comment.

(11)
Yehudith Shraga,
July 8, 2012 6:49 PM

Pne'i haDor KiPe'i Ha...

This and other examples just show how right our Prophets and our Sages were discrubing the last generation, its lowest spiritual level, and the neseccety of the correction, but let remember the story of rabbi Akiva when he was the only one who laught on the Mountain of distroyed Temple when he saw a fox coming out of the place where once it had been Koddesh Kodashin=the Holiest place of the Temple, and hope that if the sad prophercy about our generation which is called "the face of the generation is as the face of dog" are coming true, then all the wonderful prophecies will come true too, there is only one difference, for the sad prophecy to come true we don't need to do anything, while for the wonderful one we have to do a lot of inner work and here the words "let's stop it, it is enough etc." are of no help, we have to study and to stidy very attentivly what our Sages tell us about our nature, the Purpose of Creation, our role in its Plan till we understand that in demonstrating this sort of behaviour the biggest LOOSER is the one who behaves him/herself this way, because as the article true states the one who did it, have to live with it and it is impossable to forget it, no matter how hard you try, the memories of our shameful behaviour comes when we least expect them and don't leave us alone, wether we shout at them or not, wether we slip the door in their"face or not they are here with us reminding us of what we did and letting us to experience the hell while alive.

(10)
Liba,
July 8, 2012 6:30 PM

derech eretz

I travel the buses quite often sometimes w/a shopping wagon or without During the school year the children take the front seats on the bus and unfortunately not all of them get up so i can sit
I very quietly say 'efshar leshevet'?" most of the time they get up I emphasize MOST
Kids that r wearing kipot or school uniforms should not have to be told to give an older person or a mother w/a baby a seat

(9)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 6:18 PM

Taunting on the bus, not only limited to children

It was late night, my little girl and I boarded a bus from the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to Jerusalem. I asked her to get a seat for two, and put my bag on the seat next to her while I pay. As I sat down, some Haredi men came over, and angrily shouted something in Hebrew, which I could not understand. At first they were about six of them, all shouting loudly. They had shuved me out the way when the bus driver had opened the door for everyone to board. But the men were so angry. My little girl started crying, as she pulled the bag over her. And the men seemed to shout louder. The tall big one, who is easily over six feet five inches tall, weighing well over 150 Kilograms leaned over me, and loudly said with a heavey acent: "You cannot sit this seat!" I had paid. Our tickes were good. It was in the mid section of the bus, close to the door that opens midway on the bus. And the man was swinging his fist above my head. I couldn't help but wonder why a man would come so close to a woman whom he is not married to - I thought it is forbidden. (I am shomer negia). The thought that occured to me as my pulled my daughter to safety (and this IS a regular egged bus, no segragation): When did the sons of Yaakov forget how to treat a daughter of Avraham? I am a convert. That was the moment I lost all respect for the sect I had previously thought to be rightous - those with 'Payot' who intimate they are so "pioyous". Baseless hatred does not only exist among outsiders or children. It is alive and well in men who have forgotten how to respect themselves, and that they too were born from a woman...(perhaps they feel G-d made a mistake and should not have created WOMAN at all...in which case they should tell Him who made me!), or perhaps they forgot that they should first focus on how they interact with ben Adam before they think their prayers will be heard on High! The Rabbi's should address this issue.

Basya,
October 13, 2013 8:23 AM

Because of the actions of a few you lose all respect for a whole sect?

Ahem, something seems wrong here.A few men acted inappropriately.So therefore you lose all respect for a whole sect?

Huh?

I

(8)
Rivka Chaya,
July 8, 2012 5:36 PM

I have questions more than comments. First,where did these boys learn it was acceptable to taunt their elder? From their parents? Religious leaders? Movies? Books? Magazines? School? Theri teachers? Society in general? I will bet this is not the first time they've done this. I will bet they bullied younger kids,Kids who were too afraid to say anything either on the bus or at school. And what about the bus driver? He looked the other way while this woman was being assaulted. Albeit in words but who knows,maybe these young sociopaths would have taken it to the next level of physical violence. Then would the bus driver have spoken up? Would he have ntervened? And what about the kid who posted this on Facebook? Where did he learn this was ok? And the parents-they are responsible. They were their childrens first teachers. what were they teaching them? And Mrs. Klein,it has been reported she wasn't going to say anything. Was she kidding? If SHE had been the one to do the abusing,SHE WOULD be sitting in jail. And rightfully so. What about these boys? Will they be held accountable for their actions? Or will we as a society end up footing the bill for them when they commit crimes against society and end up in prison or on death row?
Bullying is never ok. No matter who does it or who is the receiver. We must teach our children this. And we,the adults of the world must remember,our children learn from the messages we send every day. what messge are you sending?

(7)
nelsonsamuel,
July 8, 2012 5:12 PM

Bullying needs to be nipped in the bud.

Bullying by children needs to be stopped at an early age. If you do not stop the bully from tormenting others there is a good chance that this punk will grow up to be a criminal or at least an abuser of others, especially of a spouse.

(6)
Chana gols,
July 8, 2012 5:07 PM

It's starts at home!

Children are mirror images of what they see and learn at home. A child who is praised, praies. A child who loved , loves. Ect. Moral, equip your children with love and kindness to share with the world?

(5)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 5:03 PM

Yachad

Dear Karen, I am glad you found the courage and where with all to speak out. I hope you find support and strength from the people around your both physically and virtually. Yachad

(4)
Isaac Freed,
July 8, 2012 4:50 PM

Bullying Grandma

Who and why was a 68 woman put on a bus load of juveniles in the first place? What defensive options was she given? Was she even allowed to write the names of the miscreants? What happened to the old teachings that man is guided by the hope for reward and the fear of punishment?

(3)
Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 4:38 PM

Accept sincere favors and say thank you.

All of us of mature age (I am 69) have experienced the disrespect of the younger generation. In my city, where I commuted by city bus for decades and now take the bus occasionally, I am appalled by the fact that most (but not all) younger people will happily remain seated while old folks or people with obvious needs remain standing. With HaShem’s help, I am healthy. However, I NEVER refuse a seat when offered, and always respond with a big thank you for the help. I believe that by doing do I reinforce the good behavior of those who do the right thing, and perhaps even influence nearby observers. Let’s all accept the generous help of those who offer it, even if we don’t need it, in order provide the positive feedback to those of good midos, and perhaps create some copycat behavior from observers not yet of good midos.
EDITORS: feel free to edit.

(2)
Rob,
July 8, 2012 3:24 PM

Why do buses need adult monitors in addition to bus drivers today? When i was growing up, school buses didn't have monitors; we we expected to defer to the bus driver. There is something seriously wrong in society when we expect a few dozen children to behave so badly that one adult bus driver can't control them by himself. Liberal, permissive parenting, in which children are never taught the meaning of "no" because it would hurt their self-esteem, is the culprit.

(1)
Ilan,
July 8, 2012 1:52 PM

About posting the video

I think the video was made by another kid who thought what the bullies was doing was wrong. He/she wanted to embarrass the kids and have people see what jerks they were. Not sure, but that's how I understood it.

JB,
July 8, 2012 4:20 PM

missed the point?

That may be the case, but if that's your response to this article, you've missed the point.

nina,
July 8, 2012 4:40 PM

video was made by witness

From what I've read, the video was made by an outraged child on the bus who wanted to get the bullies in trouble. If true, that child is a hero.

MindyC,
July 8, 2012 8:48 PM

Ilan is correct, the video was posted by another student. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120620/NEWS01/306200023/Greece-bus-monitor-bullying-video
the good news is that the school district took this very seriously and is meted out appropriate punishment, and is looking at ways to prevent this from happening again.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48019907/ns/local_news-buffalo_ny/t/one-year-suspension-greece-bus-bullies/

Anonymous,
July 8, 2012 11:41 PM

Video

Ilan, this is also my understanding. The video helped prove the children had bullied the bus monitor.
Wonderful article none the less.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

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